Jurassic Park: The Battle for Survival
by Yoshi 2.1
Summary: The very first entry in my series Jurassic Park: Nature of the Five Islands. The dinosaurs in Isla Sorna's North region have been subjected to the dry season. Herbivores begin competing for the few remaining plants while various carnivores attempt to hunt whatever prey they can find. Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

**Jurassic Park:**

 **The Battle For Survival**

 **Synopsis** **: Months without rain during a prolonged dry season have caused a massive drought within the Northern region of Isla Sorna, resulting in a shortage of food along with dried up rivers and watering holes. The dinosaurs native in this region are forced into a life or death situation where they must adapt to their changing environment. As herbivores of many varieties including ornithopods, sauropods and even ceratopsians compete for the few remaining plants, small to large carnivores like Velociraptor, Deinonychus, Allosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, Giganotosaurus and other theropods desperately struggle in trying to hunt whatever prey they can find, even if they must fight with one another to obtain a meal.**

 **Disclaimer: All rights to Jurassic Park belong to Universal Studios. Copyright is forbidden.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

The light of the sun was spreading all around as it washed over the various lands of Isla Sorna, the largest of five islands, known historically as the Five Deaths. Out of them all, Isla Sorna is most famous for it's population of the most astonishing creatures mankind has ever seen.

Prehistoric animals which have graced us with their presence as fossilized displays in Museums around the world.

Creatures which existed millions of years ago, now currently exist in the modern time due to the machinations of expert geneticists at InGen.

These creatures are known to the world over...as Dinosaurs.

All across the North, East, West and South regions of the island, dinosaurs have flourished as the dominant animals, going undisturbed for many years since their recreation. Herbivores and carnivores of many types inhabit the widespread environments such as jungles, forests, plains, prairies, mountains and grasslands, as well as wetlands, woodlands, savannas and many others.

However, the dinosaurs in the North have since fallen upon hard times as of this year.

There hasn't been any rain in the past 24 hours, a direct result of the dry season which has gone on for quite a while. The low humidity has caused a decrease in plants and vegetation, with watering holes and rivers beginning to dry up over time, leaving behind very little sources of food for the herbivores , and very little hydration for both them and the carnivores.

Out on the grasslands, communal herds of Triceratops, Pachyrhinosaurus and Styracosaurus were feeding on the few bushes that were left in the area. With their usual food sources disappearing, they had to eat as much as they possibly could to get through this tough season.

Triceratops, the largest ceratopsian, thrives here more commonly than other ceratopsians. It's name meaning *Three Horned Face*, this herbivore is best known for sporting a set of deadly horns, as well as a head frill which shields it's vulnerable neck from frontal assault by large predators. But despite this advantage, Triceratops doesn't stand much of a chance against an attack from the back and from both sides should it be unlucky enough. In most cases adult Triceratops in their prime alone have a 80 percent chance of fending off carnivore attacks, while young, old and weaker individuals have little to no chance of surviving against experienced predators.

The 8 meter long Pachyrhinosaurus, meaning *Thick Nosed Lizard*, are more rare in the grasslands than Triceratops, but are just as abundant in the North's meadows. Compared to most ceratopsians who have nasal horns, Pachyrhinosaurus instead has a flat bony growth on it's snout known as a boss, which could be used a battering ram when fighting predators or rivals. Their head frills are not as big as those of Triceratops, but are quite unique for sporting small, curved and backward pointing horns. Small to medium sized carnivores are common threats to both young and adult Pachyrhinosaurus, but smaller predators are primarily of little concern to the well armed adults.

Styracosaurus, meaning *Spiked Lizard*, may be only 18 feet in length, but it's impressive head display and blade like horn indicate this dinosaur is no easy target. Unlike Pachyrhinosaurus, Styracosaurus more regularly feeds alongside Triceratops on the grasslands. A single stab from their long nasal horn is more than enough to savagely injure any predator who underestimates this tough herbivore.

For now, it seemed like the herd had nothing to worry about.

However, they were about to meet some frightening visitors.

Out of the jungle comes a pack of four Deltadromeus, which means *Delta Runner*. This 8 meter long and 2 ton theropod is one of the fastest hunters around, being able to chase down prey over long distances. Usually they often hunt ornithopods, but with most prey items becoming less frequent in the dry season, carnivores are being forced to shift their attention towards hunting down tougher and more challenging targets. Naturally Deltadromeus would avoid attacking ceratopsians, as they weren't adapted for handling such well armed prey items. But overwhelming hunger and stress are what drive this pack to take the risk.

Upon noticing two juvenile Triceratops, a male and female, and their mother grazing just a few feet outside the herd, the pack's attack strategy became simple.

Taking their chance, the pack went charging forward in full throttle. Their initiation paid off well as they scared the herbivores into a massive panic, scattering them in random directions.

During the chaotic event, the mother Triceratops and her two young end up getting separated from the herd in their desperate bid to avoid the theropods. The pack takes advantage as they proceed with chasing down their fleeing victims.

One of the pack members soon catches up, grabbing the male juvenile by his back leg. The young Triceratops called out in alarm as the Deltadromeus restrained him. Another pack member moves in and bites into the nape of the herbivore's neck. It wouldn't be long now before the rest of the pack would join in to bring down their struggling prey.

But just before they can, the angry mother Triceratops charges up and attacks one of the distracted Deltadromeus within range, jamming her massive horns straight through the gut of the one that was holding the youngster's neck, effectively killing it. The other Deltadromeus released it's hold, backing away as the mother shielded her offspring from it.

Suddenly, the rest of the herd reappears on the scene, coming to the aid of their fellow comrades. Outnumbered and outmatched, the three remaining Deltadromeus are forced to retreat.

The mother tends to her injured baby, giving him a few gentle nudges to help him regain his footing. He was then greeted warmly by his sister, followed by the other herd members, including some Pachyrhinosaurs and Styracosaurs.

The Deltadromeus pack would have to find prey elsewhere, even if it would take them days to do so.

In the dry season, the dinosaurs were given a crucial choice.

Either they adapt to survive, or die of starvation.

* * *

 **Well, that's the first chapter.**

 **Sorry for it being so short, I really tried my best. As the story explains, the dinosaurs in the North of Isla Sorna are going through a tough time since the dry season came in. Herbivores are losing their favorite plants, which means carnivores are starting to lose their favorite prey.**

 **Basically what I'm trying to do is make a series of Jurassic Park stories that are presented like a sort of nature documentary, focusing more on the dinosaurs themselves, as well as other creatures I intend to include later on. In other words, there will be no humans getting chased around by dinosaurs like in the movies.**

 **I spent 24 hours a day watching wildlife documentaries featuring modern animals and dinosaurs in order to write this. It's not my best work, but I'm getting there.**

 **Anyway, be sure to tune in for more chapters.**

 **Later everyone.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The overwhelming heat of the sun continues to spread across the land as the dry season drags on. Following their failed hunt from before, the three surviving Deltadromeus have been on a non-stop trek for two hours through the plains, and their search for food wasn't getting any better. Depending of their sizes, predatory dinosaurs were use to eating certain amounts of meat each day, and with the lack of available prey in their preferred hunting grounds due to herbivore migration, the need for sustenance was very important.

The pack leader sniffs the air, hoping to detect the scent of a potential meal. But soon, an opportunity presents itself. Glancing up ahead, the pack catches sight of a mother Parasaurolophus walkeri and her son travelling on their own. A member of the hadrosaur family, the 9.5 meter Parasaurolophus, meaning "Near Lizard Crest", were most noted for possessing a unique skull crest, which they likely used as a form of communication when calling to one another. The two specimens in particular were recently separated from their herd due to an earlier attack by a tyrannosaur and were now forced to look out for themselves. While mostly walking on four legs, these herbivores will rear up on their hind legs in order to escape from hungry predators. The mother however appeared to be moving somewhat slowly because of an abrasion on her left back leg which was caused by a theropod attack the other day. The abrasion was infected and swollen, a flaw which hindered her movement slightly as she limped most of the way.

Seeing this as a chance for a good hunt, the Deltadromeus pack begins to slowly approach the unsuspecting hadrosaurids. If they were to succeed, they needed to do it right. The theropods prepare themselves as they draw closer, waiting for the moment to strike.

It was now or never, and failing in this hunt means that they'd go hungry once more.

Once in position, the leader makes the first move by charging forth, followed closely by it's subordinates. Upon seeing them approaching, the two herbivores made a run for it, with the mother trying her best to keep up the pace alongside her young. The pain in her leg was excruciating, but she would not allow herself to die now, not without a fight.

The second Deltadromeus recklessly makes a lunge for the mother's right flank. Unfortunately the herbivore intercepts it with a swift smack from her tail and knocks the predator off balance, taking it out of the hunt. But the danger was far from over as the leader and it's remaining comrade kept up the pursuit.

From here, it seemed like the hadrosaurid had the upper hand against her enemies. However, the carnivores were not about to give up so easily. Plus, her painful abrasion was still taking its toll on her, thus exposing her vulnerable state.

Upon catching up, the first Deltadromeus lashes at out at the mother with a quick swipe from it's claws to slow her down, inflicting deep wounds on her left leg before biting onto her tail, causing her more pain. The third one latched it's jaws onto her neck from the right in an attempt to wound her even further while the panicked youngster kept on running.

But even this was not enough to bring her down, as the female Parasaurolophus mustered the strength to swing her head to the right, forcing the Deltadromeus off her neck. She then shifted her body around, yanking the other one forward with enough momentum to loosen it's grip on her tail and send it falling to the ground, thus proving that the ceratopsians from before weren't the only herbivores who knew how to fight back. She reared up on her hind legs and bellowed in defiance as the two predators confronted her, being joined shortly by their recovered pack member.

Unfortunately this scenario wasn't going to end in favor of either the predators or their prey. All of the commotion along with the smell of fresh blood has attracted the attention of another predator.

One who was bigger, hungrier, and far more dangerous.

Approaching from afar was a 40 foot long, 7 ton male Tyrannosaurus Rex, the "Tyrant Lizard King". This one was in fact the same tyrannosaur that had previously hunted the hadrosaur herd. With a muscular body, along with a large head and powerful jaws that could crush bone, he was feared by many dinosaurs alike. Unlike the Deltadromeus, this carnivore hunted alone, and today he too was here to get a meal. He gives off a loud roar to make it clear that he was not to be messed with.

The smaller hunters had no choice but to abandon their hunt and back off. Even in a pack, they would not dare to face a deadly predator like Tyrannosaurus in a fight without the risk of injury or death.

In this case, size does matter.

The wounded Parasaurolophus could not move fast enough to escape as the giant theropod homed in on her and knocked her to the ground, pinning her under his foot before delivering a killing bite to her neck. He then wasted no time in feasting upon her carcass, tearing off some meat and swallowing it whole. As a big predator, Tyrannosaurus needs to eat about 230 kilograms of meat a day just to sustain it's hunger. At times like this, the male in particular would eventually have to find more food, even if it took a day or two.

Having been denied a kill once again, the Deltadromeus are driven to resume their search. The longer they go without a meal, the less they have a chance at obtaining one. Time after time, smaller predators often inevitably lose to larger and stronger ones in the hunting game.

Meanwhile, the now orphaned young Parasaurolophus is forced to live the rest of his life alone. With his mother dead, the chances of his survival would become slim overtime.

* * *

Out on the island's savanna, a male Therizinosaurus, meaning *Scythe Lizard*, was currently busy browsing on the one of many good trees remaining in the area. At 10 meters long, this giant was the largest of it's kind, with it's namesake coming from the two sets of 3.3 foot long sharp claws that grew from it's long, three fingered arms. Ironically although it is actually a theropod, meat was not on the menu for this dinosaur due to it's preferred diet of plants and vegetation. While the claws themselves were effective weapons against enemies, this herbivorous theropod primarily used it's arms for pulling down branches.

Despite being plant eaters, Therizinosaurs for the most part are preferably solitary animals who do not live in social herds quite often. Males are especially territorial and have little to no patience with trespassers, displaying hostility towards carnivores and even other herbivores who intrude on their feeding grounds.

And an uninvited guest was about to find out the hard way.

It was a lone male Iguanodon, who had come in search of food. It's name meaning "Iguana Tooth", Iguanodon could grow to about 10 to 13 meters in length and weigh over 3.4 tons. Much like their hadrosaur cousins, Iguanodon are both quadrupedal and bipedal herbivores, walking on all fours while running on two. But the most distinctive features were the sharp thumb spikes on it's front limbs, which could have been used as defensive weapons to fend off attacking predators or assert dominance over rivals. Though normally traveling in herds, this one was cast out by a rival male.

The Iguanodon comes to a stop near the same tree the Therizinosaurus was browsing in. It bellows with aggression, wanting the tree for itself.

The Therizinosaurus turned to roar back at the intruder, angered over being disturbed from it's meal.

These two giants were not in the mood to share.

With their favored sources of food disappearing, herbivores have begun to compete with each other for whatever plants were left.

The Iguanodon makes the first move with a headbutt to the Therizinosaur's stomach, knocking it back a couple feet. This does little to deter it as the theropod bares it's giant claws and roars, giving off a threatening display to try and scare away it's opponent. But the Iguanodon shows no fear and instead raises up on it's hind legs to bellow loudly while showing off it's thumb spikes.

However, intimidation doesn't always work to it's advantage. Just as the Iguanodon attempts to attack, the Therizinosaurus slashes it on the side, severely wounding it.

Injured and unable to fight, the Iguanodon gives up and goes walking off while the Therizinosaurus returns to browsing on the tree.

As this happens, a pack of hungry Coelophysis follows after the ornithopod. Coelophysis, meaning "Hollow Form", are one of the earliest dinosaurs to have ever lived, having first evolved during the Triassic period. At about 3 meters long, they were fairly small compared to the giant Iguanodon. But what they lack in size, they make up for in numbers. While not quite as coordinated as Velociraptor or Troodon, they are still more than able to tackle prey larger than themselves. Compared to the larger theropod predators who are more suited to hunting than scavenging, Coelophysis are specially adapted in dry seasons to seek out free meals during tough times like this, venturing inland away from the beaches and forests to do so. Rather than just simply attacking the injured Iguanodon, they instead choose to follow it via the trails of blood coming from it's fatal wounds, waiting for it to die.

At the same time in another part of the savannah, a female 6 meter long Dilophosaurus, meaning "Double Crested Lizard", was under the shade of a tree, currently feasting on a juvenile Plateosaurus it had caught an hour ago. Anywhere else on the island it would be outclassed by more dangerous predators, but here, Dilophosaurus had access to the kind of hunting grounds where it's primary prey, prosauropods, are most common. As an experienced hunter, Dilophosaurus had the necessary killing methods for dealing with these herbivores. However, while making a kill required energy, keeping it was the hard part.

Dilophosaurus wasn't the only hunter on the savannah.

Other predators also lived here.

Monolophosaurus, the "Single Crested Lizard". Though slightly smaller, this 18 foot male was more than capable of challenging for the carcass.

With a vicious snarl, the Monolophosaurus begins to head for it's intended meal.

The Dilophosaurus steps forth, ready to fend off the intruder.

* * *

 **It took some time to type this stuff up since I was going through writer's block for a time.**

 **But anyway, this is Chapter 2. Then again, it's clear nobody will read it since there are no humans being attacked by dinosaurs like in the movies.**

 **I just felt like doing Jurassic Park stories in a documentary style that centers on dinosaur living out their lives in the wild rather than running loose in a park.**

 **Reviews or not, I'm still gonna write these stories because I like writing and explaining about dinosaurs.**

 **Later.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The Dilophosaurus gives off a low toned hissing sound, showing that it was not going to give up it's kill so easily. It charges the Monolophosaurus, forcing it back a few feet before rearing it's head up just in time to avoid a quick bite to the face. The Monolophosaurus makes it's next move, lashing out with a swipe from it's three clawed hands, which the Dilophosaurus also avoided.

These two theropod species have been natural enemies on the island for years, competing for the same prey in a never ending rivalry.

Unknown to the Dilophosaur, it's rival was not alone.

This individual male was actually one of two brothers who were both after the carcass. The current one was fighting the Dilophosaurus to keep it distracted, making a series of mock charges to throw off it's attack pattern.

As this happens, the other one silently moves in towards the Plateosaurus carcass and begins to eat. While Monolophosaurus is mainly solitary, these brothers work as a coalition. And together, they were capable of stealing kills from Dilophosaurs more easily.

But right when their strategy was succeeding, another Dilophosaurus showed up on the scene. This one was a male, and it was here for the carcass as well.

The Monolophosaurus failed to act in time as the male Dilophosaurus delivered a vicious warning bite to it's neck, forcing it away from the carcass. The shock from the attack left it disoriented as it cried out, shaking it's head from side to side due to the pain inflicted by the bite.

Suddenly, the female Dilophosaurus came charging in, alerted by the noise and aiming for the male that was now eating her hard earned meal, ignoring the Monolophosaurs entirely.

As the two Dilophosaurs begin to fight, the wounded Monolophosaurus takes the opportunity to slip away unnoticed alongside it's brother. Although they lost a potential free meal, there was always next time.

In the meantime, the pack of Coelophysis were in the middle of feeding on the Iguanodon, which had died from blood loss via the wounds inflicted during it's confrontation with the Therizinosaurus. With so many hungry mouths to feed, the Coelophysis would sometimes scramble to get at the best parts of the carcass. In groups like this, intraspecific competition among one another was quite common.

Other scavengers were also looking for easy pickings at this time.

Overhead, flocks of pterosaurs were circling from above, waiting for the opportunity to join the feast. Although their diet consisted primarily of fish, these flying reptiles were more than willing to feed on dinosaur carrion whenever fish were unavailable.

Down on the ground, packs of Compsognathus, the *Elegant Jaw*, gathered alongside the Coelophysis to feed off their scraps. Compsognathus, often called the Compy, was fairly small for a theropod. At 3 feet long, they were even smaller than Coelophysis. As such, they mainly fed on insects and lizards. But like the pterosaurs, they too had no problem with occasional scavenging.

In a way, Coelophysis were pretty much the hyenas of the island, the Compys were the jackals while the pterosaurs stood in as the vultures.

Normally, Coelophysis would chase Compys away from a carcass when agitated by their persistence, but only rarely do they share meals with them as of right now.

In time, they were then joined by some hungry Dimorphodon and Rhamphorhynchus, the *Two Tooth Form* and *Beak Snout* respectively. These small pterosaurs used their teeth to tear off bits of flesh at a time, swallowing them after each bite.

But unfortunately, things were about to change for these scavengers.

Large carcasses like the dead Iguanodon tend to attract more bigger animals.

And here in the savanna, there is no exception.

A pair of Afrovenator, the *African Hunter*. A member of the Megalosaur family, Afrovenator was a mid-sized hunter, reaching 26 feet long in length. Sporting killer jaws with razor sharp teeth and large arms with three fingered claws, they were very dangerous predators. Though they were active in the Northern savanna, they were not as commonly seen here as either Dilophosaurus or Monolophosaurus due to their territories and hunting grounds not overlapping as much. In fact, they are one of the island's many elusive theropods in the North region. Regardless, they were the largest savanna based theropods, though sightings of them living around jungles and near the plains were also frequent.

One of them gives off an aggressive roar, effectively scaring the smaller scavengers away before moving in to claim their prize.

Being bigger than it's two contemporaries meant that Afrovenator was directly focused with preying on bigger herbivores, thus keeping it out of direct competition most of the time by occupying a certain niche in it's habitat.

* * *

The orphaned Parasaurolophus was wandering alone through the plains, stopping occasionally to graze on some still edible grass for sustenance. Following the separation from the herd and the death of his mother, he was now completely vulnerable to dangers from all around. Other than running away to safety, young hadrosaurs without parents have no means of fending off predators on their own.

And one such predator was currently waiting to strike.

Acrocanthosaurus, the *High Spined Lizard*, a 38 foot long carnosaur. Named after the row of high neural spines on it's vertebrae, Acrocanthosaurus was one of the island's largest and most fierce carnivores. Among it's preferred types of prey, Parasaurolophus is also on the menu.

The theropod silently waited as the herbivore wandered more and more closer.

Then, the attack was on. The Acrocanthosaurus lunged towards the youngster, forcing him to run. He called out in alarm and panic as the hungry predator pursued him. The chase itself was conducted purely out of desperation by the starving theropod, with the herbivore running as fast as it could to avoid it's gaping jaws.

But fortunately, success was ultimately on the herbivore's side as he eventually managed to outrun the predator. Having used too much energy in the hunt, the Acrocanthosaurus abandons the chase. It roars in frustration as it heads off in search of more prey.

Although the young hadrosaur was able to avoid predation, the time will come where plenty of other predators would hunt him down soon enough. But for now, he would continue the rest of his way unharmed.

Elsewhere, the Deltadromeus pack were still on the lookout for a meal. Having not eaten in the last few hours, they were becoming increasingly hungry. And with the heat overtaking the landscape, chances of conducting a successful hunt would be more difficult.

Pretty soon, they found themselves coming across a partially dried water hole, an area where herbivores often gather to drink. But the only herbivore the pack had spotted was what appeared to be a juvenile Camarasaurus that had collapsed near the edge of the water hole, having died from natural causes. Out of all the island's herbivores, sauropods were ultimately the most susceptible to starvation and thirst in such harsh conditions.

Without any hesitation, the pack approached the carcass and started to tear into it with their teeth and claws. Even though their earlier hunts had failed miserably, at least now they were entitled to a decent meal. With the herbivore already dead, they had no need to worry about attacking it.

In fact, carrion often seemingly constitutes a large portion of a carnivore's diet. Based on comparison, both prehistoric and modern land predators are known to willingly seek out carrion when live prey becomes unavailable on a regular basis, whether if they scavenge off stolen kills or freshly dead animals.

Once the Deltadromeus had eaten their fill, they would not have to eat again until the time came.

Meanwhile, the ceratopsian herd has begun a migration away from the grasslands. With no more food left in the area, they had to move on to find new vegetation.

The juvenile male Triceratops who survived the Deltadromeus attack from earlier was doing his best to keep up. His neck and leg wounds would heal overtime, but as long as he remained with his mother and the herd, he would survive long enough to reach adulthood.

Along the way, they would be accompanied en route by another herd of ceratopsians called Centrosaurus, the 20 foot long *Pointed Lizard*. Similar to the closely related Styracosaurus, Centrosaurus sported a long blade like horn on it's snout. In addition, it also had a pair of smaller horns above it's eyes and two hooked down hornlets on it's head frill. They too were making the same journey from another part of the grasslands themselves to seek out new food sources.

But wherever herbivores go, carnivores will follow.

Stalking the herd was Daspletosaurus, the *Frightful Lizard*. A close cousin of the larger Tyrannosaurus, Daspletosaurus is a deadly killer, notably one who is particularly specialized in hunting tough prey. This male specimen was a veteran ceratopsian killer, having hunted several of them before. He bared scars from previous attacks, with two on his left leg and one across his lower jaw.

He quietly followed with anticipation. His keen sense of smell enabled him to single out a weak member in the herd. As he watched closely, he caught glimpse of his potential target.

An old and sick female Pachyrhinosaurus was struggling to stay with the herd due to lagging behind. In her eagerness to keep moving, she failed to realize the danger.

Seizing the opportunity, the Daspletosaurus closes in for an ambush. He picked up his pace and headed straight for his victim, sinking his powerful jaws into the herbivore's hind leg. He yanked his prey to the ground before moving in to bite the throat, suffocating the struggling ceratopsian.

The herd could do nothing to save their fellow member. Instead, they chose to keep moving.

With his hunt successful, the Daspletosaurus started to feast on his kill. However, with the ceratopsians moving beyond his range, he would be forced to seek out other types of prey.

* * *

 **Chapter 3 is here at last.**

 **I really struggled with working on this one, so most of this stuff will look uninteresting. I'm trying the best I can to explain about how the dinosaurs try to get through this difficult time.**

 **Hopefully I'll be able to do better in Chapter 4.**

 **In addition, I'll be writing another Jurassic Park story on the side while still working on this one.**

 **Later everybody.**


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